GUEST,Chord Chucker:"It really has little utility for folk music..."
I would be the first to agree with you on that point, Frank--except that my own life experience seems to be leading me in a different direction:-)

Ah, but there is a glitch in all that!

One of the reasons I wanted you to check out those links, is that folk music, though extremely simple in structure, can be transferred to other forms of music, and vice-verse.

You posted: "The motion is full and profound, and the architecture is clean and big enough to hold a long piece together (too many times long pieces are just bits strung together with no real form)."

YES, I fully agree with you that long pieces tend either to 'wander' or spend too long in 'developing'...and when composing the piece, I was all too aware of NOT allowing that to happen, but to TELL THE STORY! To do this, you might notice that the piece is actually several 'movements', as 'vignettes', and to facilitate the key changes, we play off the 'circle of 5th's going up to the '5', working it in that key, and then coming back down....and it is so subtle, you don't even notice it...other than, well maybe, on second thought, maybe you don't notice it, at all.
All of the 'vignettes' have either Celtic or folk roots...but without sounding 'folkie', Celtic, or 'New Age-y'.

Also, myself, being a left handed guitar player, find some distinct advantages, when using the keyboard. My left hand, on the bass octaves, is also my finger-picking hand on the guitar, and my right hand is my fretting lead hand, on guitar, and happens to be the lead melodic hand, on the piano! As a result, my upper notes, on the keyboards, can blaze at light-speed, while the bottom has a 'round' movement, as in finger-picking....but in this case, instead of guitar, or piano voices, I'm using string section voices, so certain notes remain depresses, while the other fingers keep the movement rolling, as in finger-picking on the guitar.
I just put all that, because YOU seem more into the structure, and the nuances of music, than a lot of the regular folkies who are still working at getting their campfire strumming of 'Kumbayah' down!...and really stretch when they got their Neil Young/Santana upgrades!!!
(I have to stop myself from grinning on that one).
When you find the time, you might want to take another listen, and you'll note what I'm saying.

The other piece, 'Seascape', unlike 'the long one', was recorded in a studio, using three tracks on a Roland Juno 60, which is a lovely instrument, BUT you can only depress 6 notes at one time before one will cut out, as you hit the 7th!...THAT is a trick to pull off, but we got it!!!

Hey man, it's been a REAL pleasure to bump into you on here!!!
Stay in touch!!!

Warmest Regards!!!!

GfS